


help me hold onto you

by lifewasradical



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: A tiny bit of angst at the end, Cooking, Couch Cuddles, Fluff, I may write more of this eventually, I mostly like tagging the dogs thats all, M/M, Snow Day, anyway, but like not really, mostly just Michael and Luke living their lives, uhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifewasradical/pseuds/lifewasradical
Summary: They stand in blissful silence for a few moments, trapped in their own thoughts as they watch the trees turn white ahead of them. His time with Michael is peaceful in a way that Luke has never felt with another before, not in any of his exes. They don’t have to fill the silence with small talk, instead just enjoying the times together without words.Or, Luke and Michael wake up on a snow day.
Relationships: Michael Clifford/Luke Hemmings
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	help me hold onto you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jbhmalum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jbhmalum/gifts).



> based on the prompt by [Taylor](https://michaelownsmyheart.tumblr.com), "please don't leave me alone" which has gone through approximately 4 different versions in the past few days. this wasn't my intended direction BUT it fits with another muke piece I've been thinking about for a while so this might just be some vague world building for them, we'll see. Taylor, I love you and I hope you enjoy my first Muke 💜
> 
> title from the archer by Taylor Swift

Luke loves the snow more than anything. The fresh powder twirling in the air is like living in a large snow globe, constantly being shook up to make the snow whip around the house. The pristine blanket of white casts everything around them in a bright glow, light grey sky the true indication of what’s to come.

Snow days make Luke want to cuddle up with Petunia, hidden away from the rest of the world. With nowhere to go and no one to see, Luke would normally waste the day away watching reruns on tv and eating an obnoxious amount of snacks. He’s always loved a good snowy day. 

But Luke likes snow days with Michael even more. Luke had packed up Petunia and stayed the night before, not realizing that it was set to snow Sunday afternoon. By the time they woke up for the second time (time one being early in the morning to feed the dogs and let them outside), there was already two or three inches of thick snow coating the ground. 

“Might as well stay for lunch,” Michael had reasoned, smirking slightly as he kissed Luke’s throat before getting out of bed just a bit ago. Luke couldn’t deny Michael of that, couldn’t deny Michael of anything, so he followed him out of the warmth. 

They clumsily make their way down to the kitchen, tripping over dog toys in a sleep filled haze. Moose trails behind them, interested in anything they’re doing. Petunia and South remain unbothered, sitting on their respective sides of the couch. Luke pets Petunia’s head and gives her a quick kiss on his way into the kitchen. 

“Pizza?” Michael asks, holding a ball of dough in the air fresh from the refrigerator. Luke smiles back at him, nodding and taking in the way that Michael’s eyes crinkle a little at the sides. 

It’s still new, this thing that they’re doing. New enough that every little interaction sends them both into a fit of giggles and blushing. Luke’s favorite activity is trying to get Michael’s blush to match the pink in his hair, then snapping a picture. Michael always insists that Luke deletes them, claiming that he can’t stand how horrible he looks and doesn’t want to be immortalized looking like that. 

Luke wants to tell him that he’s radiant at all times, but he knows it’ll fall on deaf ears. 

Instead Luke presses a kiss to Michael’s cheek and smiles as the blush keeps permanent residency on Michael’s skin as he enters the kitchen fully. 

He spends a moment washing his hands before helping Michael gather the supplies they need. When he’s successfully retrieved the cheese, sauce, and pepperoni, Luke turns to Michael to see how he’s making out with the dough. He laughs before he can register what’s going on, smiling at the scene ahead of him.

Somehow, Michael has gotten flour on his forehead, sticky hands covered in raw dough with a blob of irregularly shaped dough on the baking sheet. His face is screwed together, tongue poking out the side of his mouth while he desperately tries to force the ball to resemble something closer to the shape of a pizza, but failing. 

Luke laughs under his breath, trying his hardest not to make fun of Michael, “Do you need help?” 

Michael narrows his eyes at Luke, then the pizza, then at Luke again. He huffs, stepping back from the offending dough. “I can’t get it to roll out. How do people do that fancy thing where they throw the dough in the air and it spins out? I want to do that!”

Luke shakes his head, pressing down into the dough with the palm of his hand. It’s sticky and a little bit overworked from how Michael was handling it, but it’ll still do for their lunch. “I think that takes years of practice, Mike,” Luke offers, using his fingertips to press out the crust a bit. 

Michael whines, pulling himself up to sit on the counter, swinging his legs in against the cabinets. He licks his lips and Luke tracks the movement before returning to the pizza, directing his thoughts away from how much he wants to kiss Michael at this moment. He puts the toppings on the dough, taking the time to spread it out evenly. 

“How long will this take?” Michael complains, reaching out to take a pinch of cheese. 

“Don’t eat that, you didn’t even wash your hands after touching the dough, you menace,” Luke laughs, grabbing Michael’s wrist with his own sticky fingers. Michael rolls his eyes but takes the moment to lean forward and press his lips against Luke’s. It’s an effective way of shutting Luke up, but he pulls away quickly to attend to the pizza. 

“Go throw that away and wash your hands. I’m putting it in the oven, we have a half hour until we can eat,” Luke instructs, sprinkling the last of the cheese on top before putting it in the preheated oven. Michael does as told, stopping to look at the snow falling quickly into the yard.

Luke follows after, washing his own hands and standing next to Michael at the window. The snow shows no signs of stopping, accumulating faster than either of them had realized. They need to check the weather more often, Luke thinks, leaning his head over onto Michael’s shoulder. 

They stand in blissful silence for a few moments, trapped in their own thoughts as they watch the trees turn white ahead of them. His time with Michael is peaceful in a way that Luke has never felt with another before, not in any of his exes. They don’t have to fill the silence with small talk, instead just enjoying the times together without words. 

Michael eventually moves to head towards the living room, reaching a hand out behind him blindly to capture Luke’s. He gives it to Michael willingly, following him through the house. Michael moves South off the couch, cooing at him when he growls at the movement. Luke doesn’t bother Petunia, instead sitting next to her with one arm over her body in between her and Michael. 

“You spoil that dog,” Michael laughs, making a face at South who’s glaring from his own dog bed. Moose circles around South, plopping down almost directly on top of the other dog. South yips loudly, biting at Moose’s ear. She doesn’t even move. 

Luke laughs loudly, disturbing Petunia. He stops to soothe her, petting her head calmly. When he looks up again, Michael is staring at him with a dopey smile on his face. If someone could personify the feeling of being absolutely heart eyed, Michael would be it. Luke wants to live in that smile forever. 

He knows it’s just the honeymoon phase, that they’ll both grow out of this haze of love and soft eyes soon, but a small part of him hopes that they’ll be this love struck forever. Luke could write endless novels about Michael’s very being, chapters for each of the parts that Luke loves. It’s cheesy and probably a bit creepy if he really thinks about it, but Luke can’t find a part of Michael that doesn’t make him want to give him never ending affection. 

The big windows in Michael’s living room give them the perfect view outside, the snow accumulating rapidly. Luke’s a little worried about when he’s going to have to drive home again, knowing that his car isn’t necessarily made for snow. That’s a problem for later, he thinks, sticking his cold toes under Michael’s calf. 

Michael clicks on the tv, immediately moving over to Criminal Minds on Netflix before Luke can even request it. Luke turns to settle against Michael’s chest, laying in the space between his body and the couch. He wraps his arms around Michael’s torso, rubbing his face in the fabric of his hoodie to make himself comfortable. Michael snorts under his breath, bringing an arm up and around Luke’s body to tangle it in his curls. 

Luke knows they shouldn’t get too comfy here, not when they need to get up to take care of the rest of lunch shortly, but he can’t help that being with Michael in any sense brings him such a comfortable feeling of serenity. He doesn’t want to move again, mentally damning the pizza and wishing they could turn the oven off from across the house. Who needs food when there’s a warm boy to cuddle on the couch. 

And all too quickly, the pizza is ready and the oven is beeping. Luke hangs on for a moment, thinking that if he keeps his eyes shut, then maybe he can convince the world that they don’t need to get up, that he can stay comfortable on Michael for the rest of time. 

It doesn’t work, of course, because Michael’s stomach grumbles and they can smell the rapidly cooking pizza, so Michael kisses Luke’s hair and pushes him back slightly. Luke groans when he hits the pillow and Michael laughs from somewhere behind the couch, already heading to the pizza. 

“Stay put, I’ll bring you some,” Michael calls, Moose immediately trotting after him to see if she can get a snack. 

“I can get my own food,” Luke counters, pushing himself up to a sitting position on the couch. 

“Can you just let me take care of you?” Michael responds, voice slightly muffled by the oven squeaking open and the tray sliding against the rack. Luke blushes and doesn’t respond. 

Michael returns quickly with two plates, all gooey cheese and doughy crust. Luke’s own stomach growls at the sight and Michael looks unbearably fond, holding out a plate to Luke. 

They eat eagerly, watching along to whatever episode is playing on tv. Luke is barely paying attention, instead staring at Michael as he bites into the pizza and pulls, strings of melted cheese hanging from his slice. It’s stupidly endearing, watching him eat pizza. Luke would make fun of anyone else for being caught up in such a small detail, but what happens in his mind stays in his mind. 

Michael grins over the top of his plate, winking at Luke before biting into the crust. It’s nothing, but to Luke, it’s everything. They joke and laugh and tease each other mercilessly, yet never crossing over a line into sincere attitude. Michael is all sarcastic jokes and Luke is all fake offended remarks, balancing each other out as they eat their lunch.

By the time they finish the pizza and the episode, the snow has stopped falling completely. The snow globe effect is gone and with it goes some of the domestic magic, bringing them back to the haunting reality that life goes on after a blizzard. 

Luke reaches out to pat Petunia once, “I think we probably should get going, plows have probably gotten to all the roads now.” 

Michael makes a distressed noise in the back of his throat, closing a hand around Luke’s wrist. Luke turns to him, expecting to see a puppy dog pout and dramatic eyes, but he’s vaguely stunned by the genuine sadness that’s in Michael’s gaze. It immediately breaks Luke’s heart to see Michael like this, sad and longing. 

“Please don’t leave me alone,” Michael whispers, voice bordering on a whine. It’s too fragile for the playful energy that had previously been in the room. It’s a confession, something that they haven’t talked about before but aren’t ready to work together on. It says too much with just five words. 

“I need to go home,” Luke reasons, unsure if he’s trying to convince Michael or himself. 

“You don’t have to go,” Michael says, “I don’t want you to.” 

Michael looks up and locks eyes with Luke, showing off the tiny bit of apprehension in his mind. He’s terrified, clearly, but Luke doesn’t know of what. They haven’t gotten that far into their deep past traumatic experiences, only glazing lightly over the surface of both of their internalized issues with the early stages of their relationship. It’s unsettling, seeing Michael begging for companionship, but Luke could never deny him anything. 

“I’ll stay,” Luke nods, hoping to get back to the lighthearted snow energy that was there before. Michael smiles, opening his arms up for Luke to cuddle back in. He goes willingly, extending his legs to have contact with Petunia on one side of the couch and Michael on the other, two of his most important people in one space. 

They should talk about Michael’s insecurities, Luke knows, but that’s a conversation for the dead of the night, long after they’ve closed the curtains and headed into bed. For now, they’ll stay curled up on the couch, staring out at the picture perfect scene ahead of them. This thing, Michael and Luke, may be new, but it’ll be built to last.

**Author's Note:**

> Talk to me on Tumblr [lifewasradical](https://lifewasradical.tumblr.com) 💜


End file.
